The Triumph TR4, introduced for 1961, brought notable improvements to cabin comfort and chassis dynamics compared to its predecessor, the TR3A. More aggressive bodywork by famed Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti incorporated a proper trunk for the first time on the TR series, while wind-up windows, better ventilation, and an optional hardtop greatly improved comfort. Though the TR3A chassis carried over, new rack-and-pinion steering and a full-synchromesh four-speed manual transmission improved driving dynamics. The 2,138-cubic-centimeter inline four-cylinder of the late-production TR3A was standard; an available 1,991-cubic-centimeter unit allowed buyers to compete in sanctioned 2.0-liter racing classes. Like its forebears, the TR4 proved devastating on the circuit. American driver Bob Tullius, co-founder of the legendary Group 44 racing team, won his first Sports Car Club of America E-Production championship at the wheel of a Triumph TR4.

This 1962 TR4 was originally dispatched to the Triumph dealer in Belgium on 22 March 1962 as a “CKD” or “completely knocked down” car, according to a copy of a British Motor Industry Heritage Production Record Trace Certificate dated May 1999. The color and trim were not recorded, but the document on file does confirm that the car came in left-hand-drive configuration from the factory and that its 2,138-cubic-centimeter engine is numbers-matching.

The Triumph would eventually make its sojourn to the United States from Europe and into the hands of an attentive caretaker, who is believed to have commissioned a full restoration—possibly completed sometime in the late 1990s. The car won a Gold Award at the 1999 Vintage Triumph Register National Convention in Portland, Maine, scoring an impressive 391 out of 400 points. By 2003, the TR4 was making routine appearances and racking up Gold Certificates at Triumph Register of America events in the ownership of a noted Triumph enthusiast based in Akron, Ohio, who would retain the roadster for 20 years.

The car has remained well-preserved within The Michael Leith Collection since 2023, its clean and tidy presentation making it an excellent driver, ostensibly to be enjoyed on road trips to Triumph events, where its return will surely be appreciated.